The Hills Hoist Exhibitions in the Blue Mountains

ISSN2207-001X    January 2025

 

Documenting Australian  makers of hooked rugs and wall hangings regardless of technique used, has been an absorbing interest for me for more than 20 years.

So, when I saw a Facebook post by Roger Vanamois, North Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia, whose paintings depict his life in Australia and also includes images of many of the hooked wall hangings begun in the 1980s by his father, artist Heljo Vanamois (1915 -1990), I was intrigued and contacted Roger for more information.

When I asked about his family; for permission to share, and to include images in the history section of the Australian Rugmakers Group website, Roger, who is the curator of this collection, said I would find it all shared on his Facebook page. His intention is for the collection of these uniquely Australian works to be gifted to the National Art Gallery. He said the photos on Facebook are just his way to display them until the time is right.

Family images and comments about his parents, are also shown on Roger’s Facebook page. His parents were both artists, however I couldn’t find an explanation as to why his father turned to textiles in the 1980s.

RV: Helio (Heljo) Vanamois (Dad) was a Master Wood-Carver from Estonia and Trudi a potter from Austria, they met at Academy of Arts in Munich and emigrated to Australia from Estonia in 1949, with brother Peter being born in Sydney that year.       At the Employment Office Heljo (Dad) was asked what his vocation was. Artist, he did say, no calling for them was the answer. Painter, off to the Railways with you.  Start tomorrow. It was the middle of Summer, and he was Inside the boilers of Steam Locomotives painting them with Red Lead Paint.  ‘What Hell have I got us into’. Later that year he saw a sign next to the Railway line advertising for Signwriters at the DMR workshops in Granville. That will do me, has to be better than haideez.

1957 the family moved to Mt Riverview a town in the Lower Blue Mountains, where Heljo (Helio) Vanamois is believed to be the longest continuous resident, living in the home he built there from 1957 to his death in 1990.

RV:  1990 Both these Wall hangings of Banksia Spirits, Sturts Desert Pea and Flannel Flower were completed in this year.  I hung them out to be woolwashed and aired. Hanging from the Hills Hoist it was the first time they were on public display.  The left one was done by Dad and the other by me.  Helio passed away in October that year. We made about half a dozen of this model, the last he never completed.

RV:  In 2021 The Seven-Day Neighbour Hills-Hoist Exhibition included all the seasons available in this corner of the Blue Mountains. Here Jack Frost freezes them to the steel washing line. They were dry not long after that day and were subsequently removed. Missing out on the Snow, and another 7 Days of Drying. Well, there you are, and there you go. How life is but a venturis splendid time.

RV: Another Gumnuts with a larger wool wall hanging behind. In the last years he was quite prolific, working from Midnight with a few siestas in between. He lived on Estonian Black Bread and Avocado with Coffee. Thankfully the Mt Riverview Fruit Shop got the Bread in for him. The Bread was a rarity in itself, when all the old Estonians moved on so did the Elmo Bakery.

MORE  RUGS  by  Helio Vanamois                                                                                                                                                                                                        RV:  Below – Helio with one of his larger wall hangings on the front of the old house. Don’t know how he displayed and photographed this by himself. He certainly had some hootspa to get things done. This item was put in the post, never to be heard of again. Such is the life of a poor Artisan.

RV: Dads last Wall hanging remained unfinished, as in his words ” Just haven’t got it anymore”. I know the feeling. Press On Regardless.

FROM THE EDITOR: Roger Vanamois talks of hanging these works to dry and air after they’ve been “woolwashed”.  I assume he means using a product called “Wool Wash”, a mild soap for washing woollen clothing. As large as these wall hangings are that would be quite a challenge.

This information will be added to the list of Australian Rugmakers shown in the History section on the Group’s website. I hope you will click through to view what’s there. You will also find copies of articles from craft magazines, both from Australia and overseas, about rugmaking/rugmakers in Australia.   These articles are included where permission has been granted from the publisher.  https://www.rughookingaustralia.com.au/history-australian-rug-history/ 

Please contact me at rughookingaustralia@gmail.com  if you have any edits to make on any of the entries or would like to add information.

Wishing all Happy Hooking in 2025.

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